The Effects of Highways on Guanaco Movement in Patagonia

Research Questions:

  1. How do highways impact guanacos’ movement?

  2. Do guanacos respond differently to roads with varying traffic volumes?

Hypothesis and Predictions

I hypothesize that guanaco movement will be impacted by the highway and that guanancos will avoid crossing roads with high traffic.

  • Guanacos are less likely to cross the highway
  • Guanacos will be more likely to cross at night since they are more active
  • Female guanacos will be less likely to cross the highway since they often have chulengos (baby guanacos)

Study Area

Differences in Road Crossings by Road Type

Note: Guanaco data spans from October 2019 through November 2021.